[mayhem]

Hi all, old returning member, haven't been on in years.

Looking at purchasing a new to me 04 Sierra 1500 for around the house duty, plowing my own drive with a light plow, etc. Purchasing from a relative and the potential price is excellent...but it needs some love. The one issue thats got me possibly hesitating is the instrument cluster is busted...and by busted I mean literally smashed...like with a hammer. The only things that work are the gas gauge and the MIL (which fortunately is off and clear).

I know I can buy a used cluster and have it reprogrammed to show the correct mileage but that assumes I can check the mileage in the first place. I suspect the cluster may be recording data and its just the gauges and display that are shot, but is there a way for me to check that before I pull the trigger? I'm checking with NY DMV to see if its registerable with a broken odo, if it isn't its useless to me and its just a parts vehicle at that point.

Any thoughts? Can I pull the cluster and maybe take it to a dealer and ask them to read the mileage? If the data is intact I think I'm golden.

 

[kimber750]

I am pretty sure mileage is only stored in cluster on Gm trucks. The BCM keeps a record of mileage but it gets that from the cluster. Say you put a cluster that says 100k the BCM will record mileage as 100k. Most likely would need to find someone that can read old cluster and program the new one.

 

[Philbilly2]

I am pretty sure mileage is only stored in cluster on Gm trucks. The BCM keeps a record of mileage but it gets that from the cluster. Say you put a cluster that says 100k the BCM will record mileage as 100k. Most likely would need to find someone that can read old cluster and program the new one.

I might know a guy that can confirm this is correct. He used to pull his cluster out of the truck and use a GPS to keep track of speed and just fill up with fuel on the same day every week...

 

[kimber750]

I might know a guy that can confirm this is correct. He used to pull his cluster out of the truck and use a GPS to keep track of speed and just fill up with fuel on the same day every week...

Years back the tach went wonky in my 03. We have a guy local that repairs them but I remember asking about replacing it with a used one since they were pretty cheap on fleabay. Was awhile ago so don't really remember well but think the cost of used and reprogramming it was more than to have him fix mine.

 

[Philbilly2]

Years back the tach went wonky in my 03. We have a guy local that repairs them but I remember asking about replacing it with a used one since they were pretty cheap on fleabay. Was awhile ago so don't really remember well but think the cost of used and reprogramming it was more than to have him fix mine.

Stepper motors are super cheap.

I did dozens and dozens of local guys trucks.

Want to say I was buying groups of them at 6 bucks a piece? Could be way off, been close to 10 years since I did one.

 

[mayhem]

I'm dealing with a cluster thats actually been impacted with a blunt object like a hammer or a screwdriver maybe. The gauge faces are shot, needles are immobile and point all over the place and the displays do not light.

Oddly enough the gas gauge and MIL seem to work though.

I'm working with someone who might be able to help me at the DMV to either extrapolate mileage off a few years of inspection records or maybe read the actual cluster in their vehicle fraud department. Here's hoping.

I really don't care if I have an inexact reading or if it impacts the vehicle value...I'm not paying more than $1400 for it...I just want to be positive that I'll be able to register it before I buy it.

 

[leolkfrm]

do you have safety inpections there?....might get it from the state

 

[Philbilly2]

do you have safety inpections there?....might get it from the state

Are there states that do inspections on 1/2 tons? We have to be plated at 12,000lbs or more before we have to safety lane in illernois.

 

[JMHConstruction]

Are there states that do inspections on 1/2 tons? We have to be plated at 12,000lbs or more before we have to safety lane in illernois.

Missouri and Iowa do it in all vehicles, that's about all I know

 

[mayhem]

All passenger vehicles are safety and emissions inspected annually. Couldn't tell you about commercial applications at all, but I've never owned a vehicle that didn't have to pass safety and emissions, except for one year my 3/4 ton was emissions exempt due to rule changes.

 

[mayhem]

Update, in NY (probably other states as well), DMV does not care what the mileage is if the vehicle is over 10 years old, so this is a non issue.

Anyone have a set of Escalade gauges in their truck? Like em?

 

[leolkfrm]

yes everything inspected here, they may not care about it for titles, however the info for previous inspections may be there

 

[FredG]

yes everything inspected here, they may not care about it for titles, however the info for previous inspections may be there

This is correct, either has to be TMU or the true mileage has to be documented during your yearly inspection. No Matter if it is 10 yrs or not.

The 3/4 and 1 ton do not have to be plugged in but mileage still is documented with the state.

 

[Philbilly2]

Wow... finally found something that doesn’t suck about Illernois... :laugh:

 

[JMHConstruction]

Is there a way to tell if your dash is original? Makes me a little nervous if the mileage is only kept in the cluster. I always assumed it would be kept somewhere else in the computer system

 

[mayhem]

To my knowledge there is no way to know if the cluster has been replaced. My buddy in the DMV ran a carfax for me and the most recent record was in January 2018 when it recorded 190k on the truck. Safe to say its in the 200k range by now. I pulled the cluster the other day and I'll disassemble it and see if the solder joints on the display are cracked, apparently these clusters are prone to that. I'll get an ebay cluster and have it programmed with what I find or just go 200,000 even if I can't revive it.

Still, $1400 for a fully operational 4wd half ton truck that'll see light duty from me, I'm cool with it. Frame is clean, even the extended cab rockers are surprisingly clean looking, I see a tiny bit of rust on the back underside of the driver's side, I'll gently clean that area and hope I don't push my finger through it.

 

[FredG]

To my knowledge there is no way to know if the cluster has been replaced. My buddy in the DMV ran a carfax for me and the most recent record was in January 2018 when it recorded 190k on the truck. Safe to say its in the 200k range by now. I pulled the cluster the other day and I'll disassemble it and see if the solder joints on the display are cracked, apparently these clusters are prone to that. I'll get an ebay cluster and have it programmed with what I find or just go 200,000 even if I can't revive it.

Still, $1400 for a fully operational 4wd half ton truck that'll see light duty from me, I'm cool with it. Frame is clean, even the extended cab rockers are surprisingly clean looking, I see a tiny bit of rust on the back underside of the driver's side, I'll gently clean that area and hope I don't push my finger through it.

I bet you are cool with it, $1400.00 don't buy much in a pickup. Thumbs Up

 

[mayhem]

No sir, not these days. Couldn't walk away from this one. I'll get all the little bits replaced that it needs (mirrors, set of used wheels, new grill, do the bed over in rhino and just enjoy it for awhile. Bonus is my two girls are learners permit age, so they'll have a full sized vehicle to learn on and if it gets a smudge on it they'll be reasonably safe and I won't sweat it because my good car didn't get ruined.

 

[OneBadDodge06]

Missouri and Iowa do it in all vehicles, that's about all I know

Iowa does not inspect light duty vehicles. Anything older than 10 years old is exempt from accurate odometer readings.

 

[JMHConstruction]

Iowa does not inspect light duty vehicles. Anything older than 10 years old is exempt from accurate odometer readings.

When my mom moved to Iowa she had to get her SUV inspected. Maybe it was because she was bringing a vehicle from another state?